Golf club including head-weighting string encased in plastic sheath

ABSTRACT

Plastic coated string solder adapted to be spirally wrapped around the shank of a golf club to weight the same as desired. The plastic coating may be heat shrunk about the string solder to close off the ends.

United States Patent 1 mewm Inventor George E. Bouchard 59 W. SchuylerSt., Oswego, N.Y. 13126 716,932

Mar. 28, 1968 Sept. 28, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented GOLF CLUBINCLUDING HEAD-WElGHTlNG STRING ENCASED lN PLASTIC SHIEATH 1 Claim, 4Drawing lFigs.

U.S. Cl 273/194 A, 24/27, 1 17/232,273/171 Int. Cl A63b 69/36 Field ofSearch 273/171, 170,169,194,193,32,l62,8l.4,8l.5,162,84,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,561,595 11/1925 Davis273/170 2,223,647 12/1940 Stumpf..... 273/193 X 2,608,409 8/1952Pinkert0n..... 273/169 X 3,317,211 5/1967 Debski 273/169 X Primarylixaminer-George J. Marlo Attorney-F. P. Keiper AllS'llRACT: Plasticcoated string solder adapted to be spirally wrapped around the shank ofagolf club to weight the same as desired. The plastic coating may be heatshrunk about the string solder to close off the ends.

PATENIED SEP2 8 IHTI FICJQ INVIiN'I 1 ma GEORGE E ,BOUCHAR D.

ATTORNE Y GOLF CLUB INCLUDING HEAD-WEIGHTING STRING ENCASED IN PLASTICSHEATI-I This invention relates to golf clubs, and more particularly ameans and method for varying the heft of the club immediately adjacentthe head.

Skill in playing the game of golf depends on developing swing withconstant practice. It has been proposed that proper follow through canbe developed more readily if the weight of the club, at the head isincreased for practice. Various proposals for adding weight to the headhave been made. However, most of them require structural changes in thehead, so that when one becomes proficient, and no longer needs theweighted head, the club is returned to its unweighted state by removalof the weight, which may leave the club scarred, or otherwise alteredfrom the usual club. The addition and removal of the weight may alsorequire tools and not be readily effected in a moments time.

The present invention is directed to weighting of a golf club adjacentthe head by applying any predetermined amount of weight as desired. Moreparticularly the weight is added by spirally wrapping a relativelyflexible plastic clad string weight about the shaft immediately adjacentthe head. In practice string solder of a suitable diameter has beenemployed for the purpose, the solder being clad in a tubular plasticsheath sealed over at its end.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understoodthat the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and arenot designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, referencebeing has for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings where like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of a golf club with a spiral wrapabout the shank to increase the weight;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one end of the plastic cladstring weighting material;

FIG. 3 is elevation view of a golf club head to which increasedweighting is had by applying a second spiral layer; and

FIG. 4 is a view of a spool having a suitable length of the weightingmaterial wound thereon.

Referring to the drawings, the shank I is shown with a spiral wrap 12 ofplastic clad lead alloy such as string solder, preferably of the solidcircular cross section type. Such an assemblage is indicated in FIG. 2wherein one end ofa length of string solder 14 is shown encased in aplastic sheath 16 which is sealed off at its end 18. It will beunderstood that a suitable length of material such as solder will beencased in the manner shown and sealed at both ends. The encased solderis then readily wrapped spirally about the shank of the club as shown inFIG. 1. The plastic protects the shank of the club from being marred bythe metal weight, and by reason of its resilience provides frictionalgrip of the spiral wrap upon the shank that will withstand shock, thecentrifugal force to which the club is subjected in striking a golfball, and in the swinging of the club.

If additional weight is desired, or it is desirable to concentrate theweight closer to the head 20 of the club, a second layer 22 may bespirally superimposed over the bottom layer 112, as shown in FIG. 3.

String solder has been found to have the necessary stiffness,flexibility and weight so that when encased in a sheath of plastic orrubber composition, the length of encased solder is readily wrappedneatly about the club shaft as shown. It can be seen that the time takento apply the weight is but a fraction of a minute and the weight is evenmore quickly removed leaving the club without injury.

A length of encased solder may be applied and removed any number oftimes. Preferably before applying the weight, it is desirable tostraighten the length of encased metal string, which is readilyaccomplished by rolling the length on or between flat surfaces.

Any weight and length of metallic string can be employed.

In practice, a player may readily carry with him several differentlengths of one diameter, as well as several lengths of a differentdiameter, and either one length or various combinations applied to theshank.

To maintain the length of encased solder free of kinks, it may bewrapped about a small flat spool such as indicated in FIG. 4 ofrelatively large diameter so that the encased solder can be withdrawn,without serious bending and immediately applied to the club shank. Suchspools may be carried in a pocket, and will keep the weight in suitablecondition for immediate application.

While string solder of the solid type, free of flux or acid has beenfound to provide the desired characteristics, the reference to solder isto be interpreted as including equivalent alloys having the desiredcharacteristics, namely that of ready application, ability to remain inposition, and provide the desired weight. The plastic may be tubularspaghetti or the like, and may be of the extruded type that is readilyheat shrunk about the solder string and to close off the ends.

While a single form of the invention with modifications has beenillustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited thereto. As various changes in the construction andarrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, as will be apparent to those skilled in theart, referencewill be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of theinvention.

lclaim:

1. In combination, a golf club having a shank close to the head thereofand means for adding weight to the shank of the club adjacent the headcomprising a length of heavy lead alloy metal in solid string solderform encased in a tubular plastic sheath sealed around the ends of thelength, said encased metal in string solder form being spirally wrappedabout the shank with the sheath in tight frictional engagement with theshaft, the metal having sufficient stiffness to hold the sheath in tightfrictional engagement with the shaft.

1. In combination, a golf club having a shank close to the head thereofand means for adding weight to the shank of the club adjacent the headcomprising a length of heavy lead alloy metal in solid string solderform encased in a tubular plastic sheath sealed around the ends of thelength, said encased metal in string solder form being spirally wrappedabout the shank with the sheath in tight frictional engagement with theshaft, the metal having sufficient stiffness to hold the sheath in tightfrictional engagement with the shaft.